Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-03-24
IN TIE MIDDLE WEST.
a Story Of Life in the Great
Mississippi Valley.
BY ALvA MILTON KERR
tCorymonr. 1894 ny ruE A. N. KKttooo
NEWSPAPER COMPANYl
cIIArrEn xIx-covrrrunn.

NEWSPAPER CoxPASYl
CHAPTER xIx.-coSrrSusn
But the stricken man opened his
eyes and turned them about in their
shadowy, shaggy sockets until they
found the face Of the young man who
had entered. Then he whispered
something, and John Earling leaned
down and took his cold. crumpled
hand. did you find out who done
it'" the old man whispered.
''Yes, think we have. Don't let Il
disturb You, sir; he will surely be pun
sshed, said John Earling, in n low
voice.
''Who-who was itp" he whispered.
noarsciy' trying to get up, with his
ieVerish amber eyes feeding upon the
yonng man 5 face. But his strength
was not sufficient, and he closed his
eyes ana rolled his big head TO and fro
upon the pillow. John Earling tried
TO move away. but the old lawyer held
70 MS hand, and. without opening his
eyes. whispered; Waitr'
After awhile he opened his eyes
1nu looked at the young man. DO
l-k-low himP" he said.
Yes; we think It was Fowler"
John Earling answered.
The old man looked at him n long
time. and John Earring seemed TO see
through his eyes. those dark, clear
glasscs, into his sbrain. A thousand
emotions, thoughts. clouds, fires,
wishes, hates, seemed to go glaring
tliently across those amber windows.
ne rsiaSed his grasp upon the young
mans hand, closed his eyes, turned
ms head away and said, with a
lingering, bitter, sibilant whisper:
"Spakc! and was silent.
John Earling went softly out, but
paused at tho hall door and stood
looking back moment. The doctor
came noisclessly TO him. What will
be the end OF it?" whispered the
young man.
-" He IS broken by the effort and
the shock; he may come back, but
think il will be a long time" said
the physician.
John Earring went away through the
midnight gloom, and all the darkness
and WEAKNESS of the world seemed
gone into and settled through his be-
ing. He dragged himself slowly up
the dark stair-ways TO his room close
under the roof of Bowers Block, and
threw himself down upon his pillow.
What n tempest had beaten upon and
gone over him! With .he first thought.
30 weary was he, rthe soft warm numb
moss Of sleep began to fold him in.
Suddenly he sprang up with cry and
shuddered. and twice after that spranQ
out Of slumbcr with dreadful dreams:
then he thought a voice faint and
silvery was singing far, far away over
an endless sweep of wind-tormented
watcr. and he was trying to go to it,
but the shore cyermOrc went with him
and white face under the water az
his feet went with il, and he stroye. and |
stroye IN vain. Suddenly the gilvcry |
yoice came toward him, expanding, |
swelling. swelling. and swerved up |
ward like an inverted rainbow of sound /
and burst at the zenith in great crash |
that seemed TO shake the world, and
he sprang up and the sunshine was
there IN dapplcs on .he wall again. and
all the horror Of the time came flooding
back upon him.
They buried Maun that day Just be-
tore the sun went down. No one was
there OF kith or kin to mourn her. but
the common heart Of Openstone was
moved with pity. and hundred moth
crs wept. No one, perhaps, save two.
guessed what darkness filed John
Eqrling's mind as be stood there. white
aud silent. while the flower-ladened
colin aank ont OF sight. Sadly the
prayer was said. then q band of girls
came forward. all in white, chanting
soft hymn. and dropped wreaths. hearts
and anchors Of flowers into the grave;
ana one, lame, slender girl, dropping
her howers, stood there with her hands
extended over the grave. and with
swimming eyes turned up to the sky.
sang the sweetest, saddest song John
Earring ever heard. II seemed fit TO
move the heart Of Col In the begin
ning' and was In the ending as II she
We're singing among the angels that an
Innocent soul had come back from
earth : trial and was ushered In among
Them. The Tears ran down John Earl
ing's face. and n hundred more had
wet eyes as they came forth from tho
sacred slumSering-place.
ihon on the morrow Celeste went ,
back 10 her teaching in the city. and
The weeks wore slowly along and the
snow came and the winter almost 1
pHssouv put NJ last Justice adjusted her |
scales and the book-keeper stepped in !
10 be weighed.
The prisoner had not suffered exter. /
nally during those months. how deadly {
soefer may have been the agony within I
his criwe-stained spirit For 4 name.
less kind OF goodness -delighting 10
show ITSELF In some sense honOf1ng /
biz shame. and dropping here and 4
thorn a pinch Of poison on the dead I
girls naine-had Tapped him about ,
with all soft comfort.l Mrs. Whitney /
and the Reverend Cuitleton suffered 8
rather the larger exudaii0n of humane 4
milk, perhaps. though their discirlss
Nprc not fow. Among them, under tho
lisapproynl Of her mother and harrow
ng lip the soul Of the long wind-plped 4
iAlfo moved the mercnrial leslii and 4
lor enthusiastic father. Harry, TOO. 4
hough giving Tafhor shame-f facea d
|aprpyaL WAS hronght ~ the SKILL ,
Nj lotht 10 boar ike an elegant l
cclal forcn N the weight of lheir I
omfNhai naHtpailng minisiarnqs q
|ofl said little. as wrs his 4
Won't having hls rge too lnianlly upon 4
he IN'Nfe "a b. |nlempefatp Ia any a. e
spNpn. tnl he furnished lhe carpei 4